>> Sunday, November 4, 2007

Many movies have featured hard-kicking cocktails, but The Nutty Professor's “Alaskan Polar Bear Heater” may be the most infamous. Below is the recipe taken verbatim from the film:

“Two shots of vodka, a little rum, some bitters, and a smidgen of vinegar… a shot of vermouth, a shot of gin, a little brandy, lemon peel, orange peel, cherry, some more scotch. Now mix it nice, and pour it into a tall glass.”

Why the recipe calls for “some more scotch” at a point when there is no scotch in the cocktail is a mystery to me. I can only assume that Jerry was ad libbing the recipe on the spot. By the way, I’ve never been brave enough to drink one myself--the vinegar has always been the deal breaker for me. However, a good friend of mine filmed himself mixing one up and downing it (the video can be found HERE). He described the cocktail as tasting like “bitters-soaked ass.” When I commented that a lot would depend upon whose ass was soaked in bitters, he responded, “Ernest Borgnine’s ass.” You have been warned.

I went back to the movie just to make sure, but both Jerry and Buddy Lester (the bartender) obviously say "some more scotch." It also reads that way on the subtitles. I know subtitles can be incorrect, but Jerry was involved in the DVD release, and he's a control freak. He likely checked every aspect of the DVD.

I assume Jerry was making up the Alaskan Polar Bear Heater recipe as he went along, and simply didn't realize he hadn't previously mentioned scotch. Jerry was a sipper at best in real life, so the mistake is understandable.

I think there is a noticeable difference between "some more" and "Dewar", and unless you have a pirate-copy of the film, or a bad sound system, when you watch the scene, he clearly says, "Some more Scotch" Personally I think a small scene was cut after he says "Cherry!"

He doesn't actually add vinegar to the drink. That was a joke on Buddy Love's part to make sure the bartender was paying attention. The cherry was a joke too. So actually, the recipe omits those two things. Now you don't have to be afraid to try it!